Basic HTML Version
7
In the first month, that
is,
the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast
Pur, that
is,
the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month,
to
the twelfth
month,
that
is,
the month Adar.
8
And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed
among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws
are
diverse from all people;
neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it
is
not for the king’s profit to suffer them.
9
If it please
the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver
to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring
it
into the king’s treasuries.
10
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the
Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
11
And the king said unto Haman, The silver
is
given to thee, the people
also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
12
Then were the king’s scribes called on the
thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded
unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that
were
over every province, and to the rulers
of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and
to
every people after their
language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.
13
And the
letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all
Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day,
even
upon the thirteenth
day
of
the twelfth month, which
is
the month Adar, and
to take
the spoil of them for a prey.
14
The copy
of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people,
that they should be ready against that day.
15
The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s
commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down
to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.
CHAPTER 4
When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with
ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
2
And came
even before the king’s gate: for none
might
enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.
3
And
in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came,
there was
great
mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and
ashes.
4
So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told
it
her. Then was the queen exceedingly
grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he
received
it
not.
5
Then called Esther for Hatach,
one
of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had
appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it
was,
and why it
was.
6
So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which
was
before
the king’s gate.
7
And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the
money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
606
KJV Bible